Tropical louver construction



Oct. 9, 1945. w. A. ANDRESE N ETAL 2,336,389

TROPICAL LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed May 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z @M fifi J H ,M W 4 r H 53 w. w, 4 an w i A H w Oct. 9, 1945. w. A. ANDRESEN ETAL 7 2 TROPICAL LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed May 28, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented at. E9435 'rlnorrcsr. L

CONSTRUCTION William a. Andresen and Louis Boer-o, Chicago, Ell... assignors to The Casement Hardware Comparry, Chicago, 111., a corporation. of minois Application May as, 1942, Serial No. 444,814

Ulaims.

Our invention pertains to improvements in tropical louver constructions of the kin having horizontally pivoted slats which can be opened v the sole protective closures at the window openings.

One of the objects of our invention is to simplify and improve the construction of tropical louvers and facilitate the installation thereof,

while at the same time making such louvers more efiicient for the intended purposes.

Another object is to provide in a tropical. louver construction a novel arrangement of pro-assembled hardware units which can be easily and quickly installed in the frame of the opening to be closed by the louver.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tropical louver construction in which the louver slats can be conveniently assembled with the louver hardware after the latter has all been installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tropical louver construction which is equipped Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of one of the slat-carrying units of the louver hardware;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the opposite slat-carrying unit of the louver hardware;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the slat-end carriers before assembly in the carrying unit; and I i Fig. 8 is an inside perspective view of one of the blackout and weather strips which in assembly are associated with the slat carriers.

A tropical louver it embodying thefeatures of our invention is shown in the drawings as installed within a window opening of a wooden building where the louver provides the sole closure for the window opening. At the sides, the

- window opening is defined by conventional jambs in a novel manner to serve effectively not only for protecting the interior of the enclosure against rainand wind, but also to provide as complete as practicable a blackout of light from within the enclosure so that such light will not escape through the window opening, particularly at night during war time when there is danger of air raids or even ground invasions and no tell-tale light should be visible to assist the enemy in spotting the location of a building or flinding his direction.

Another object is to provide hardware for tropical louver construction which can be made from simple and readily available materials by simple manufacturing processes at relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear more fully from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a window opening equipped with a tropical louver embodying the features of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental horizontal sectional view through the window frame and the tropical louver taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a vertical sectional view through the window and louver taken substantially along line 8-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

ii and i2 capped by a lintel l3 an surmounting a sill It which has a forwardly beveled drainage lip l5 as is customary. Side and top molding or finishing strips l! and i8, respectively, are secured about the window opening at the outside of the building.

The louver in proper comprises a series of horizontally extending wooden louver slats it which in. the window closing relationship thereof overlap slightly at their horizontal edges. The lower inner horizontal edge of each slat is formed with a rabbetgroove 2B which in each of the upper slats engages the upper outer horizontal corner of the slat immediately therebelow, and in the caseof the lowermost slat, engages the upper forward corner of a stop strip 2!. If preferred, of course, the slats l9 may be rabbet-grooved at their upper instead of lower edges. Herein the strip 2| serves also as a sill plate secured upon the rear portion of the sill M and has its top surface slanting outwardly to promote drainage. The upper outer horizontal margin of the uppermost louver slat l9 engages behind an upper horizontal sealing strip 22 set within a rabbet groove 23 in the forward lower edge of the lintel l3 behind the lower margin of the upper molding strip It. Through this arrangement the louver is thoroughly storm-tight along all horizontal edges of the louver slats i9 and also completely light-proof, particularly against light escaping from within the building at night when blackout precautions must be exercised.

According to the present invention, the hardware for mounting the louver slats i9 is of a novel lore-assembled construction which can be quickly and easily installed by anyone possessed of even meager carpentry skill and which after installation is simple and easy to operate, but functions efliciently, positively, and enduringly. To this end, the hardware comprises a pairof pre-assembled slat-carrying units 26 and 25 adapted to be mounted upon the jambs I l and i2, respectively, and a louver-operating unit 21 which is adapted to be manipulated for opening and closing the louver slats. The slat-carrying unit 24 (Figs. 2, .4 and includes a lamb strip 28 of right-angular cross section and of a length to extend from the lintel l3 to the sill I4. One flange 28 of the lamb strip is adapted to be secured by means such as nails 30 to the window margin of the outer face of the lamb. Ii, preferably flush within a shallow rabbet groove 3| of about the same depth as aeaa'sao strip flange 32. At its lower end, the flange Ii has a notch 52 corresponding to the notch SI in the lamb strip flange 32 for receiving the iorward edge of the stop strip 2!. A

The slat carriers 41 are pivotally secured intermediate theirends by rivets BI to the outer face of the flange BI and have inner and outer channel flanges 54 and 55, respectively, and an end retaining flange 5'! for receiving the respective ends of associated slats is which are adapted to be slid into-place from an initial position at the upper or inner ends of the carriers as indicated in {got-dash outline in Fig. 6. A slat locking on ue the' respective' carrier flanges Bil to be bent over at its lower rear corner to receive ,the forward edge portion of the stop strip 21.

At equally spaced vertical intervals, the jamb strip flange 32 has pivotally secured thereto by means of rivets 34, identical slat carriers 85 (Figs. 3 and 5). These carriers are preferably formed from light gauge sheet metal and are of outwardly opening channel shape, having a web 37,

and outer and inner integral parallel side flanges 38 and 39, respectively. The spacing between the flanges t8 and 39 is preferably such as to receive the end edge portions of the respective slats it snugly 'therebetween. The length oi the web 31 is about equal to the width of the louver slats IS. A hearing aperture 40 for the pivot rivets 8B is formed in the web 31 intermediate its length and preferably nearer the upper or inner end of the web than the opposite end (Fig. 7);

At its lower or outer end, the web 31 isclosed off by means such as a right-angular integral retaining flange 41 which extends in the same direction as the side flanges 38 and-B9 and is engageable with th lower or outer edge of the associated slat end. In the present instance, the inner corner of the lower or outer ehd of the slat carrier 35 is preferably notched out as indicated at 42 to provide a clearance corresponding to the lower margin overlap rabbet of the associated louver slat. Through this arrangement, the slats I 9 are adapted to be inserted in the carriers 55 by a transverse sliding movement starting at the upper or inner ends of the carriers substantially as' indicated in dot-dash outline in Fig. 5.

No nailing 'or other direct attachment of the slats iii in the carriers 85 is necessary after assembly, butthe slats are locked in place in the carriers by respective bendable locking tongues 43 integral with the upper ends of the side flanges 38. Each of the locking tongues 43 has the base thereof weakened by anedge notch 44 to facilitate bending over into engagement with the adjacent horizontally extending edge of the associated slat. with the slat end locked in place, the carrier 35 forms, in efl'ect, an unattached end cap therefor.

The slat-carrying unit is largely the counterpart of the slat-carrying unit 24 and comprises an angular jamb strip 45 supporting pivotally mounted and cap slat carriers 41. The

'ja'mb strip 45 includes a flange 48 adapted to be secured by means such as nails 49 (Fig. 1) flush within a rabbet groove 50 in the outer edge of the =jamb l2. Right-angular to the flange 48 is a rearwardly extending flange 5! in slightly spaced parallel relation to the adjacent face of the jamb l2 -and parallel to the opposite jamb 59 for retaining engagement with the scent edge of the w associated louver slat ISL It will be observed that the opposing lamb strip flanges 32 and 51 are of substantial width, as for example about inch wide, and the pivot rivets 34 and 53 are located in coaxial alignment in a common vertical plane at or near the longitudinal centers of such flanges. Therefore, rotation of either of the slat carriers 85 'or 47, after assembly of the" slat i9 therewith, will cause like rotation of the opposite carrier. Furthermore, in the closed condition of the louver, the backs 35 and 41 substantially throughout their lengths oppose the respective adjacent Jamb strip flanges, which aflords an important advantage, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Pivotal movement of the louver slats L9 to any position from the fully closed position shown in full line in Fig. 3 to the fully open position, shown in broken outline, is eifected through the medium of a, vertical tilt bar 60 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5), which is connected pivotally by means such as rivets 6| to the back faces of tilt bar ears 62, in this in-' stance formed integral with the pivoted slat carriers 35. As best seen in Figs. 5 and 7, the tilt bar ears 52 are formed as coplanar lateral extensions of the carrier web-31 and take the place of substantial upper or inner end portions of the inner channel flanges 39 of the slat carriers. By this arrangement, all or the slat carriers 35, and through the slats 19, the carriers 41, are integrated for simultaneous pivotal movement in response to actuation of the tilt bar 60.

Manual actuation of the tilt bar may be effected by selected increments by the operating unit 21'. In the present instance the unit 21 comprises a flanged housing 64 which is secured by means of screws 65 to the jamb I I at a convenient height behind one of the louver slats l9. vThe end of a removable hand crank 51 is received within a rearwardly opening axial socket 68 in a, worm 69 which meshes with a sector gear 10 mounted therebelow for rotation in a plane parallel to the adjacent window face of the jamb I i. An arm ii rigid with the sector 10 is pivotally connected removably by means of a pin 12 and a cotter key E3 to the lower end of a connecting link 74. The latter has its upper end pivotally connected between the tilt bar 60 and the car 62 of the adjacent slat carrier 35 by means of the selected pivot rivet H.

In theclosedcondition of the louver, the arm 1| preferably extends ht substantially right angles to the tilt bar 50 and the connecting link.

58 is formed at theupper end of each of B9 and the sector to cooperate to hold thesesembly against accidental movement out oi the selected open or the closed condition of the louver. This arrangement also avoids any need for equipping the louver with a night latch or look since once it has been cranked closed, it cannot be opened from the outside but requires that the worm 59. be rotated by the crank 67 to effect any movement.

The operating unit Z'l may be located within the rear edge plane of the jambs Ii and i2 so that a fly screen 115 may be secured across the back of the window opening in any preferred manner. As illustrated in a conventional mannor, the screen is held in position by means of a frame of molding strips ll, but any other more finished manner of mounting or securing may be employed. If it is preferred to apply the fly screen across the front of the window opening, the louver may be mounted further rearwardly so that the outwardly swinging lower edges of the slats it will clear the inside face of such screen.

While the overlapping relationship of the horizontal edges of the louver slats it provides an adequate weather and blackout seal for such edges, the practical, effective sealing of the necessary operating clearance spacing between the ends of the louver slats i9 and the mounting hardware has presented a considerable problem. We have solved this problem simply, effectively by notches 8i at their lower or outer ends corre-= spending to the overlap groove clearance notches oi the slat carriers. Thus, the sealing strips form, in effe t, a continuous seal between the slat carriers and the entire lengths of the lamb strips from below the top of the stop strip 20 to above the lower edge of the upper sealing strip 22 of the window frame. There can, of course,

be no leakage between the lamb strips and the lambs because of the overlapping attachment of the strip flanges 29 and w to the Jambs.

In order to permit equalization oil pressure oi the sealing strips lit at the opposite ends of the respective louver slats It, the slat carriers and 41 are preferably mounted for a slight amount '01 play axially of the pivot rivets 34 and Ed. The

inherent springiness oi the lamb, strip material also assists in this as well as in the sealing cooperation therewith oi the strips 18 because of the spacing of the flanges 32 and M from the jambs.

Installing of the louver I8 is a simpl and expeditious operation which calls merely for securing the pro-assembled (at the factory) slat carrying unit 24 and 2B in place on the jambs ii and II, respectively, securing the operating unit 27 in place and connecting the operating arm H to the link it. Then the slat-end carriers 35 and ti are swung to a convenient angle, such, for example, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the louver slats it are slid into place, and the locking tongues t3 and be are bent over into loching position and the installation is complete and ready for use.

It may bev noted that the position of the lock- 85 ing tongues as and 5t, reswctively, while straight and economically by the provision of thin, resil- V ing tongues 63 have been formed at the upper lent take-up strips it which are interposed between the back faces of the slat carriers 35 and it and the opposing faces, of the jamb strip flanges 32 and bi, respectively. For this purpose, slightly more space is provided for between the slat carriers and the associated jamb strip flanges than might ordinarily be allowed. The resilient strips 18 are in channel form, transversely bowed outwardly and have opposed parallel side-flanges 19 of substantial width for seal- I ingly engaging the sides of the associated slat carriers. The strips '18 are of the same length as the slat carriers and are each formed with an aperture 80 for passage of the associated carrier pivot rivet by which the strip is held against longitudinal displacement from the carrier. The same form of the sealing strips applies to both the carriers 35 and ill except that the inner side flanges 19 will be shorter to accommodate the tilt bar ears $2 of the carriers 35.

As seen in Fig. 4, the resilient sealing strip 18 is held by the flanges 19 in close association with the slat carrier for swinging movement therewithand the bowed web of the sealingstrip presses into frictional sliding engagement with the opposed face of the jamb flange.

before bending into locking position, is such as to facilitate assembly 01 the louver slats by serving as guides for locating the slats preparatory to sliding them into the carriers. Thus, the locksides of the carrier channels, so that the end edges of the slats may be brought to hear thereagainst because the carriers 35 are held substantially immobile by the operating unit it. On the other hand, the locking tongues lid on the opposite carriers ll are located on the lower side of the channel since these carriers are, until the slat boards are assembled therewith, freely rotatable on their pivot axes, limited only by the frictional braking effect of the associated resilient sealing strip-s it. Therefore, it may be necessary, during the installation process, to straighten out certain of the slat carriers 37 into alignment with the slats before the slats can be slid into place therein. Theunbent locking tongues 58 provide convenient locating guides for this purpose.

Because of the freedom from direct fastening of the slat carriers and 31 to the supported" slat ends, the invention is very well suited for use with slats made from a transparent or translu-- cent material such as glass or one of the plastic substances or even metal into which it would be impossible or impractical to drive nails, screws or other fastening means. i

From the foregoing it will be apparent that our invention has resulted in substantial improvements in tropical louver construction. among which may be mentioned in summary: The preassembled unit construction of the slat-carrying hardware and the operating mechanism which reduces to three the hardware parts to be installed for a complete louver; the adaptability for assembling the louver slats after the hardware has been secured in place, whereby the slats may be accurately fitted as to any variable length as expressed in the weather but also against the entrance or escape of light through the louver, which makes our louver particularly adaptable for use in barracks or other buildings of a military value or which might serve to guide an enemy if light were visible through the window opening at night.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, we

have shown in the drawings, and have herein described in detail, certain preferred embodiments, but it isto be understood that we do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention following claims. We claim:

l. A tropical louver construction comprising a pair of vertically disposed jamb strips each associated with a window jamb, each of said jamb strips being of L-shaped cros section and posinherent springiness and includes a first flange adapted to be secured to one side of the air and light opening and a seoondfiange integral with and extending from said first flange, said second flange being spaced inwardly away from its associated side 01' the opening. and a plurality of slatcarrying members elongated in the direction of the width of the slats to be received therein and intermediately pivoted to said second flange, said sessing inherent springiness, corresponding sides of such strips being disposed in the same vertical plane and being attached to their associated window iambs, the other sides of said strips being substantially parallel with each other and spaced inwardly away from their associated window jambs, channel shaped slat carriers having their web portions pivotally mounted on and against said lastmentioned jamb' strip sides, each of said slat carriers receiving an end of one of a plurality of louver slats, each of said slat carriers presenting to its associated jamb strip side a yielding convex surface afforded by a thin resilient channel, having a transversely curved web portion, which snugly receives such slat carrier and is interposed between the latter and the associated jamb strip side to provide light-tight joints between the end of the slats and said jamb strips when the slats are closed.

2. A tropical louver construction comprising a pair of vertically disposed jamb strips each associated with a window jamb, each of said jamb strips being of L-shaped cross section and possessing inherent springiness, corresponding sides of such strips being disposed in the same vertislat-carrying members presenting to said second flange surfaces which are transversely convexly curved and snugly coextensively engaged by said second flange in order to provide light-tight joints between said slat carrying members and said flange surfaces.

4. In a louver construction for black out, the combination of a window frame with a pair of louver-supporting angles, each angle having a flange overlapping the exterior of the window frame and another flange at right angles for supporting the slat carriers, said window. being formed at its upper frame member and its lower frame member withcrack-closing members for overlapping the edges of the upper and lower louvers, a plurality of slat carriers pivotally mounted on each of said angles and regularly spaced from each other, the slat carriers on one angle member being in alignment with the slat carriers on the other angle member, each slat carrier being formed with a supporting body pivotally mounted on the angular member with a pair of transversely extending retaining flanges for engaging the front and back of a slat and retaining flanges for engaging the edges oi. the slat, a plurality of nonmetallic slats mounted in said slat carriers and confined therein by the transcal plane and being attached to their associated jamb, bears yieldingly and coextensively when the louver slats are in their closed positions to provide a substantially light-tight joint.

3. In a louver construction adapted to provide a light-tight'closure for an air and light opening of an enclosure, a hardware unit, installable as such, comprising: a jamb strip which possesses versely extending flanges thereof, said slats and slat carriers being so arranged that the slats are overlapping when closed, a connecting bar pivoted '40 to the edge of the slat carriers on one angle to move all the slat carriers and slats together, means for actuating said bar whereby the slats may be pivoted into open or closed position, and

resilient crack-closing members carried by the end of each slat assembly between the slat carrier and the angle member comprising a resilient sheet metal member which is bowed transversely to the thickness of the slat for engagement with the angle member along a line of contact and having transversely extending embracing flanges which engage outside of the slat-supporting flanges on each carrier whereby the crack is closed between each slat carrier and the angle member to prevent discharge of any light when the louver is closed. I

5. In a tropical louver construction adapted to utilize louver slats and to provide a light-tight closure for an air and light opening in a wall, a hardware unit comprising a jamb strip adapted to be secured in light-tight relation along one side of the opening, and a plurality of slat carrying members rotatably secured to said lamb strip in spaced relation such that their ends overlap when said members extend along said strip, each of said slat carrying members including a first channel adapted to fit snugly over the end of a louver slat and having end tabs holding the louver in place, and a second channel fitting snugly over the sides of the first channel and having a convex resilient web adapted to engage said jamb strip to form a light-tight joint between the slat carrying members and the lamb strip along the width of the slat.

WILLIAM A. ANDRESEN. LOUIS BOERO. 

